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Elco school board fends off angry parents about changing librarian to library aide

The school district proposed the move as a cost-cutting measure

By Marylouise Sholly

For The Lebanon Daily News

Updated:
05/13/2014 04:59:14 PM EDT

Myerstown >> About 30 parents of Elco District students attended Monday evening's school board meeting to air their feelings over a proposed change in staff in an elementary library.

Karen Mohn, librarian for the kindergarten through second grade, will be working with third through fifth grade students starting in the fall. Instead of hiring another librarian for the youngest students in the district, Elco's administration is leaning toward using one of the educational aides already employed by the district as a library aide, as a cost-cutting measure.

Parent Jannine Jacoby of Myerstown said the decision to go with a library aide doesn't jive with the district's "expect excellence" goals.

"Looking at our goals, I'm surprised we're even having this conversation," Jacoby said. "What makes you think this is a good decision? When it comes to a decision that's going to affect our children, we want to know how you arrived at that decision."

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Superintendent David Zuilkoski defended the plan, saying it would save the district in excess of $55,000 without having to furlough any staff and without having to raise taxes.

A number of parents said they feel a certified, professional librarian would have more to offer their children. Some parents expressed fears about a domino effect, concerned that more aides may replace instructors in such areas as music and art in years to come.

Zuilkoski said that wasn't going to happen.

"The 'stepping stone' fear factor — it's ludicrous," Zuilkoski said. "The teachers are required to have a certain amount of planning time each day ... to say 'next year, you'll get rid of art' ... kids have to be somewhere while the teachers are having planning time, and that's where specials come in."

Earlier this week, Zuilkoski and elementary Principal Jamie Cascarino met with parents to both explain the district's position and let the parents have their say.

A number of parents who attended that forum asked Zuilkoski to go over the budget with a fine-tooth comb to find a way to hire another librarian but without raising taxes.

Zuilkoski said he did examine the budget once again and said there is less than $140,000 open to discretionary spending.

"I could not come up with an additional $55,000 without raising taxes," Zuilkoski said Monday evening. "I have to maintain my position not to fill the K-2 librarian position."

Zuilkoski said he wasn't surprised by the parents' reaction.

"They're concerned about their children, and I appreciate their support of the educational process," Zuilkoski said.

Board member Jack Kahl said he felt he needed more information and spoke with an acquaintance who had been employed as a librarian for 25 years.

"I was told that the role of the librarian is progressive. At kindergarten through second grade, there is little impact on the kids," Kahl said. "In the older grades, with more research needs, the librarian is more important."

"It's a balancing act," Kahl added. "People are always saying 'don't raise taxes but give us quality education' and there are very few times when we can limit staff that has marginal effect on the students."

David Piscitelli, a retired teacher and librarian from the Wilson School District, attended the meeting to ask the administration to reconsider.

"Having an aide run a library with only 10 months of training, there's no way that can be done," Piscitelli said. "People think librarians only check books in and out and nothing could be further from the truth."

"You were elected with the expectation that you would make the district better," Piscitelli said. "Make our schools better, not worse."

District resident Natalie Owens said the board should not adopt the budget as it stands.

"The people in this community will not agree to this," Owens said. "I know five of you are up for re-election, and we are looking at this ... if our concerns don't matter to you. He (Zuilkoski) can find the money for a librarian. He can do it."

"At the June (board) meeting, we're going to show you that we stand united in this. We feel it is best for their education," Owens said.

Sherrie Valderama of Myerstown said she felt the kids would suffer without a certified librarian to help them.

"I know everything boils down to finances, but this is about our children," Valderama said.

Currently, kindergarten kids have "specials," of library, art, music or gym for 40 minutes every other day — for half the school year they engage in two of the four specials, then the remaining two specials the second half of the year. So, they don't have library services for half the year as it now stands.

That is changing, Zuilkoski said.

The administration feels is would be better for the students to have 25 minutes of specials every day.

When questioned about the language arts program, Zuilkoski said students in grades K-2 have 2 1/2 hours of language arts instruction daily.

"I will not deny there is not an impact by the librarian, but that's (language arts) where the majority of the learning happens — in the classroom," Zuilkoski said. "The foundation for language arts is in the classroom, and it's always been that way."

Kristen Nelson of Myerstown asked what was going to be different for her children if an aide was in charge of the library.

"The curriculum will still be reinforced by the aide," Cascarino said. "They will still having reading programs and will still provide non-certified instruction and will still collaborate with teachers."

Two concepts a library aide is not allowed to teach are Internet safety and library citizenship, Cascarino said, adding that the K-2 students don't use the Internet.